Racial implicatures and stereotypes in the comic book genre

contributions to the development of critical reading

Abstract

Critical reading in Portuguese language education remains a challenge in Brazilian schools, particularly in the context of pedagogical practices that prioritize decoding and reproducing information over developing readers capable of analyzing discourses within their social contexts. In this scenario, the Brazilian National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) emphasizes the diversity of textual genres and the development of competencies related to critical reading. This study analyzes how implicatures function in comic strips that address racial prejudice and mobilize stereotypes associated with the Black population, seeking to understand their contributions to the development of critical reading in the school context. The theoretical framework draws on the studies of Geraldi (2011a, 2011b), in the field of Portuguese language teaching; Bakhtin (1997), regarding discourse genres; Cagnin (1975), on the language of comics; Levinson (2000), concerning implicatures; and Amossy and Pierrot (2022), who approach stereotypes as socially crystallized representations. Critical reading is understood as a practice of interpretation and reflection on meanings, ideological positions, and social values embedded in discourses. From a pedagogical perspective, this practice is fostered through the analysis of verbal and visual resources, implicit meanings, and stereotypes present in texts. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative approach based on the analysis of two comic strips published on the Instagram profile @oestevaoribeiro. The results indicate that implicatures contribute to the construction of meaning and provide opportunities to critically examine stereotypical discourses, highlighting the potential of comic strips as a pedagogical resource for developing critical reading skills.